WO2012055922A1

WO2012055922A1 - Foldable supporting member

Info

Publication number: WO2012055922A1
Application number: PCT/EP2011/068775
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nils Knudsen
Original assignee: Magnus Olesen A/S
Priority date: 2010-10-26
Filing date: 2011-10-26
Publication date: 2012-05-03
Also published as: DK177373B1; DK201070451A

Abstract

A foldable supporting member (1) for being mounted on a table top, said foldable supporting member comprising a base (10); a tube structure (11); a hinge (20) comprising a stud (21) connected to said base (10) and a connecting member (23) pivotally mounted to said stud (21); and a locking mechanism for securing said foldable supporting member (1) in an operable position; said foldable supporting member (1) can be moved from a folding position to a position where said tube structure (11) is at least partially encircle said stud (21) by pushing said tube structure (11) towards said base (10) and that said locking mechanism can be subsequently utilized for rigidly secured together said base, said hinge and said tube structure wherein said foldable supporting member further comprising a spring connecting said connecting member and said tube structure, said spring being manipulated when said tube structure (11) is moved away from said base (10).

Description

Foldable supporting member

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a foldable supporting member for being mounted on a table top, said foldable supporting member comprising a base; a tube structure; a hinge comprising a stud connected to said base and a connecting member pivotaily mounted to said stud; and a locking mechanism for securing said foldable supporting member in an operable position; said foldable supporting member can be moved from a folding position to a position where said tube structure at least partially encircle said stud by pushing said tube structure towards said base and that said locking mechanism can be subsequently utilized for rigidly securing together said base, said hinge and said tube structure.

Background of the invention

In the field of furniture design, functionality and aesthetics are often key selling points. Further, flexibility of use and space saving features are also highly regarded. Folding tables and tables where the legs can be somehow folded or detached comes in many different versions and designs. Over the years numerous principles have been developed for bending or folding supporting members such as table legs, Key issues in relation to folding tables are the stability and rigidity of the construction, U.S. Patent No. 2,127,981 discloses a folding leg adapted to be rigidly secured to a drawing board, distribution board, or the like. The folding leg comprises a threaded connecting member pivotaily mounted on a disk and adapted to be connected to a tubular member constituting the leg. The tubular member can be moved in relation to the connecting member only by means of rotation. When the tubular member is screwed all the way towards the disk a rigid construction is obtained. When it is desired to move the tubular member to inoperative or folded position, it is screwed all the way back until the connecting member is able to pivot. One drawback in the above described construction is the significant need for rotating the tubular member to move the table leg between an operative position and a position where the table leg can be folded. The need for rotation is monotonous and trivial and might be a considerable disadvantage if many tables have to be folded or put up.

U.S. Patent No. 2,532,902 discloses a table having supporting legs, the legs being so mounted that they may be moved from a folded position under the top to a depending position for use and securely and releasably hold in the depending position. The legs are pivotally mounted and are held in a depend- ing position for use by sleeves slidable along the !egs, The legs comprise bolts which have their nuts tightened sufficiently to prevent the legs from swinging freely. One drawback in this construction is also the need for rotation to prevent the legs from swinging freely. Another common disadvantage in the known art is the relationship between functionality and aesthetics. Many designs either provide a rigid design or alternatively a good aesthetic impression.

Summary of the invention

The invention is set forth and characterized in the main claim, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention.

The present invention seeks to provide a fotdable supporting member; more particularly a foldable table leg wherein aesthetics is not compromised by e.g. a folding mechanism and wherein rigidity is comparable to similar conventional table legs.

This is achieved by a foldable supporting member comprising a spring mechanism connecting said connecting member and said tube structure, said spring mechanism comprises a spring being manipulated when said tube structure is moved away from said base, said spring being locked when said locking mechanism is securing said foldable supporting member in an operable position.

An advantage in this respect is that the foldable supporting member is kept in the folded position by the spring pushing the tube structure into a locking position, Another advantage in this respect is that the folding mechanism can be hidden inside the tube structure when the table leg is in the extended operable position. Further, the construction has rigidity comparable to similar conventional table legs and when the table leg is in its extended operable position it is very difficult, if possible at all, to determined whether or not it is a folding table leg.

Brief description of the drawings

In the following, the invention will be described in greater detail with refer- ence to the embodiment shown by the enclosed figure. It should be emphasized that the embodiment shown is used for example purposes only and should not be used to limit the scope of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a cross-section of an embodiment of a table leg according to the in- vention. In the illustration a middle portion of the supporting leg has been cut out. Detailed description

With reference to fig, 1 there is shown a foldable supporting member 1 such as a foldable table leg. The foldable supporting member 1 comprises a base 10 adapted to be secured to an object which is to be supported. The base 10 may comprise holes for securing the base 10 to e.g. a table top by means of screws. The foldable supporting member 1 further comprises a hinge 20 connected to the base 10 in one end and to a tube structure 1 1 in the other end.

The hinge 20 comprises a stud 21 and a connecting member 23 pivotaily connected by a pin 22. The pin 22 extends through a bore in the connecting member 23 and info a threaded connected with a bore in the stud 21. The stud 21 and the connecting member 23 are mutually adapted to allow the hinge 20 to be manipulated between a straight position, as shown in fig, 1 , and a bend position, substantially perpendicular to the straight position.

When the hinge 20 is in the straight position, the stud 21 and the connecting member 23 create a substantially cylindrical portion adapted to fit inside the tube structure 11.

The connecting member 23 comprises a threaded portion 24 with a reduced diameter at the end opposite to the pin 22, The thread portion 24 is adapted to engage with a locking member 40 comprising an inner thread 42. The locking member 40 is secured inside the tube structure 11 and by interconnecting the threads 24 and 42 the tube structure 1 1 may be secured in a position encircling the stud 21 as shown in fig. 1 . By turning the tube element in a clock wise direction, when the threads 24 and 42 are interconnected, the tube element 1 1 may be may be moved to a position where a flange 12 of the tubular element 11 is in abutment against the base 10, When the flange 12 is in abutment against the base 10, the foldable supporting member l is locked in the operable position. In this position, the base 10, the hinge 20 and the tube structure 1 1 are rigidly secured together to provide a very strong supporting member.

It will be obvious to the person skilled in the art, that a locking mechanism for securing the foldable supporting member 1 in the operable position may be constructed in many different ways. The thread 42 may alternatively be positioned in the top part of the tube structure 11 , either on an inside or outside surface. Correspondingly the thread 24 may be positioned in connection with other parts of the hinge or with the base. Further, It will be obvious to the person skilled that a threaded connection is only one means for creating a locking mechanism. Bayonet joints, locking pins or the like may also be use for creating such locking mechanism.

The connecting member 23 further comprises a shaft 25 extending from the threaded portion 24. The shaft 25 is adapted to fit into a hole in a bottom part 41 of the locking member 40. In the end of the shaft 25 opposite the threaded portion 24 a guide disc 27 may be secured by means of a bolt 28. Between the locking member 40 and the guide disc 27, a spring 26 encircling the shaft 25 is arranged. When the tube structure is moved away from the operable position as shown in fig. 1 , the spring 26 is compressed between the bottom part 41 of the locking member 40 and the guide disc 27,

The spring mechanism comprises a shaft (25), a spring (26), a guide disc (27) and a bolt (28). The spring mechanism connecting said connecting member (23) and said tube structure (1 1 ), said spring (26) being manipulated when said tube structure (1 1 ) is moved away from said base (10).

The bottom part of the tube structure 11 comprises an insert 13 and an adjustable support 14. The insert may be press fitted into the tube structure 11. The insert 13 comprises a thread adapted to engage with a thread on the adjustable support 14. The total length of the foldable supporting member 1 in the operable position may thus be varied by rotating the adjustable support 14.

Having described the foldable supporting member 1 in detail, its use and op- eration will be described in further detail below,

The foldable supporting member 1 may be moved between a folded position where the hinge 20 is bend substantially ninety degrees, a folding position where the hinge 20 is straight but can be bend, and an operable position where the hinge 20 is straight and prevented from bending.

In the folded position the tube structure 11 may be positioned substantially parallel to a table top, allowing the table to be e.g. stacked or stowed. The foldable supporting member 1 is kept in the folded position by the spring 26 pushing the tube structure 1 1 into a locking position.

When the foldable supporting member 1 has to be moved to the operable position, the tube structure 11 is pulled slightly away from the base 10 and folded into the folding position. From this position, the tube structure 1 1 is pushed towards the base 1 1 until the thread 42 comes into contact with the thread 24. The threads 24 and 42 may then be connected and the tube structure 11 rotated, thereby moving the tube structure 1 1 to the operable position. In the operable position the base 10, the hinge 20 and the tube structure 1 1 are rigidly secured together.

By reversing the above described procedure the foldable supporting member 1 may be folded from the operable position into the folded position.

Claims

Claims 1. A foidable supporting member (1 ) for being mounted on a table top, said foidable supporting member comprising:

• a base (10);

• a tube structure (1 1 );

• a hinge (20) comprising a stud (21 ) connected to said base (10) and a connecting member (23) pivotally mounted to said stud (21 ); and

• a locking mechanism for securing said foidable supporting

member (1 ) in an operable position;

said foidable supporting member (1 ) can be moved from a folding position to a position where said tube structure (11 ) at least partially encircle said stud (21 ) by pushing said tube structure (1 1 ) towards said base (10) and that said locking mechanism can be subsequently utilized for rigidly securing together said base (10), said hinge (20) and said tube structure (11 )

characterized in that said foidable supporting member (1 ) further comprising a spring mechanism (25, 26, 27, 28) connecting said connecting member (23) and said tube structure (1 1 ), said spring mechanism comprises a spring (26) being manipulated when said tube structure (11 ) is moved away from said base (10), said spring (26) being locked when said locking mechanism is securing said foidable supporting member (1 ) in an operable position.

2. A foidable supporting member (1 ) according to claim 1 , wherein said locking mechanism is constituted by said tube structure (1 1 ) comprises an inner thread (42) adapted for engagement with a threaded portion 24 of said connecting member (23).

3, A foldable supporting member (1 ) according to claim 3, wherein said spring {26} is compressed when said tube structure {11 ) is moved away from said base (10).

4, A foldable supporting member (1 ) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said foldable supporting member (1 ) can be locked in said operable position by rotating said tube structure (1 1 ) less than one revolution in relation to said base (10), when said inner thread (42) is interconnected with said threaded portion 24 of said connecting member (23),

5. A foldable supporting member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said foldable supporting member (1) can be locked in said operable position by rotating said tube structure (1 1 ) less than two revolutions in relation to said base (10), when said inner thread (42) is interconnected with said threaded portion 24 of said connecting member (23).

A foldable supporting member according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said spring (26) pushes said tube structure (11 ) into a locking position when said supporting member (1 ) is in a folded position,